Kingdom Hearts: SoulBattle
by Drachesoul
Summary: Sora and Riku are called upon for one more battle, to fight a mysterious enemy that is not what it seems. In order to save the hearts of the worlds, they first need to find the latest Keyblade Wielder, who is said to hold the power to defeat the Heartles.


Part 1-Prologue

Fleeting memories shot through his mind. Memories of Destiny Islands being swallowed by darkness, consumed by small dark creatures capable of melting into shadows. How he was told about the Heartless, and the threat he posed to them because of the Keyblade he wielded. Of Donald and Goofy unceremoniously falling on his head, as he readied himself to battle the Guard Armor, a large armored Heartless that had been terrorizing the citizens of Traverse Town. He remembered swinging through the leafy canopy of trees with Tarzan, and fighting the Red Queen's card soldiers in order to free Alice. He saw the mountains of treasure hidden in the Cave of Wonders just outside of Agrabah, and searching for Pinocchio in the depths of Monstro's belly. Riku. He felt overwhelming sadness as he relived his battle with his best friend, who had been corrupted by the dark power of Ansem. How he realized that the key to waking Kairi up from her coma-like state was inside him all along. That was when things started to get fuzzy. He remembered defeating Ansem, and then he, Donald, and Goofy going to look for the King. He couldn't process what had happened afterward though. All he could fathom was him waking up in an unfamiliar town, his red shorts suddenly way too small for him. He had started a new adventure then, destroying members of the mysterious Organization, who intended on rebuilding Kingdom Hearts for their own purposes. They called him Roxas, told him how he was a traitor to them. How he found out that he had a Nobody, a byproduct from when he turned into a Heartless in order to save Kairi. Roxas, his Nobody who had betrayed the Organization for unknown reasons, joining with him for one last battle with Xemnas, the leader, and last surviving member of Organization XIII. He and Riku were together again, along with Kairi, back home in Destiny Islands, and things couldn't have been better.

Sora awoke suddenly when a small coconut hit him in the back of the head. He looked up and tried to find the offending tree. But there were no coconuts growing on this tree. Instead, a plethora of colorful fruit hung from the branches.

"Huh. I wonder where it came— Ow!" Another coconut hit him, this time followed by a soft giggle. A slender girl with shoulder-length brown hair and sparkling blue eyes stepped from behind the tree.

"Kairi! Geez, what was that for?" he complained, rubbing his head. "Couldn't you have just woken me up?" He yawned and stretched his arms.

"I tried to, but you wouldn't wake up. Riku said this way was sure to work." She picked up a coconut in her left hand and threw it into the ocean. "And look! You're awake now, so he must've been right."

"Grr…Riku!" Sora growled out loud. Kairi laughed and Sora soon couldn't help but join in.

"Oh! I almost forgot, Riku wanted me to find you and bring you this." She reached into her pocket and drew out a glass bottle. A note written on yellowed parchment was visible through the glass, the symbol of the King embellished on it.

"It's from King Mickey!" Kairi handed him the bottle, and Sora popped open the cork lid, shaking it hard. The note fell out and sprung open. It obviously hadn't been written very long ago, because the message hadn't yet conformed to the shape of the bottle.

Dear Sora and Riku,

I know this way of sending messages is a bit out of date, but there is no time. The Heartless have resurfaced again, and it looks like they're being controlled by something. The worlds may be in danger again, and I need you two to go and help. Donald and Goofy are away too, but they're not having much luck. However, in what may be a spot of good news, it looks like a new Keyblade wielder has been discovered, but she hasn't yet realized her power. She could really be useful. But if whatever is planning this knows it too and it may be coming after her. Please travel to the Shadow Forest Islands and meet her. We need to get her to safety before the monster does.

I hope Kairi is doing okay, and I'm sorry for being so vague, but we have no time. You two are the only ones that the worlds can count on.

Good luck. –King Mickey

Sora finished reading the letter and looked up at Kairi. She stared back at him.

"I already know what it says," she said. "Riku read it to me." Kairi looked out into the horizon, so Sora couldn't see her eyes well up with tears.

"I just wish you didn't have to go," she whispered. Sora stood up and brushed sand off of his pants. He came up behind her and hugged her tightly.

"We'll be back soon," he mumbled. Truth be told, he didn't want to leave either. Things had just started to get back to normal. "And I promise you, when I get back, we'll go have ice cream together. Just you and I." He gently wiped a tear off her face.

"I'll hold you to that promise okay?" He stood up and walked to the boat, where Riku was tying it to the dock.

"Are you ready?" Riku said, looking back at Kairi. She stood there, staring at the ocean. Sora looked, and almost began to cry. He really didn't want to leave her alone after all they'd been through.

"No." he said truthfully.

"Good. Neither am I." Hopping into the boat, Riku untied the rope and pushed away from the dock, back towards the main islands.

Ryley was running for her life. Something was coming after her, and it wasn't good. She heard its heavy footsteps resounding on the street behind her, and that urged her to run faster. "You can't essscape me, foolissh girl!" The cold serpentine voice battered her mind, enveloping her consciousness. "No matter where you run, I will alwayssss find you", it smirked. Ryley sucked in a deep breath, and ignoring the stitch in her side, she forced herself to keep running. There was no way she was going to let this..thing.. intimidate her. She was Ryley, for crying out loud. She who regularly stood up to teenage boys twice her size, soon sending them back home with a bloody appendage.

She darted into an alleyway, hoping that whatever was pursuing her would lose interest. But she had no luck. The ruse almost worked, until she ran head-on into a silver trashcan. With a muffled curse, she shook off the aching pain in her foot, and continued to run. "Watch thissss". The beast nodded to his left, and seven small shadowy blobs with gleaming yellow eyes advanced toward her. _What are these things? _She knew she had only seconds until these shadow creatures reached her. She needed a weapon. Scanning around her, she took in what could possibly be used as a weapon. A dented trashcan lid and several broken beer bottles were all that she could find. _Damn it! I need a weapon! _ Before she could even fathom how it had occurred, she felt the warm, familiar weight of a weapon clasped in her right hand. She gazed down and her mouth dropped open.

The closest thing she could put to this newfound weapon was that of a large key. Jet black and shot through with streaks of blood-red. The prongs of this key-sword were identical to the body, albeit with more red. A keychain swung from the handle, a silver wolf baring its fangs at some unknown enemy. _It isn't anything I can put a name to. _Ryley lifted her arm and made a few experimental swings at the shadows. The weapon felt like an extension of her arm, moving fluidly with her. The creatures skittered away from her key-sword, obviously repulsed by the power emanating from it. _So these shadow monsters are afraid of it. _Smiling, she took a fighting stance, one foot placed slightly in front of the other, feeling a surge of adrenaline course through her veins. _Oh, yeah! Come get me! _she thought. Then they attacked.


End file.
